Chapter 7: Caught
750 Words
Lucian's POV
My hands glided across the buttons of my black shirt as I stared at my reflection in the dresser.
Scars.
Old ones.
New ones.
Some impossible to forget.
It's not about the scar but what it represents.
The backstory.
Every single scar had a story to tell.
A painful one.
But it didn't hurt
At least Not anymore
Growing up men were made to believe each scar represented a trophy.
Painful trophies.
My maid stood quietly in one corner waiting for my instructions.
She was my personal maid and has been with me for a while now.
The Vale household had different people working for them.
But she wasn't.
I don't trust.
Even my own family.
I barely acknowledged her.
My attention was elsewhere.
A stubborn pair of eyes resurfaced in my mind.
I could still feel it.
The panic in her eyes she tried so well to mask,the way her breath hitched as I drew near.
One command.
One shot
That was all it took.
But.......
Maeve Sterling.
Interesting.
Picking up my ring on the table I nodded slightly at the maid as she opened the doors.
My chauffeur stood.
Waiting for me to give instructions before we proceeded in line with the Vale family’s Security unit personally assigned to me.
I didn't want them following me today. I had Shadow guards my own personal force—operating in the shadows
Others weren't necessary.
Not now.
Only my secretary, Adrian was permitted to as I dismissed the rest.
"Good morning boss"
"Hm.." I replied as I got into the car.
"As per your schedule....." He went on rambling.
"Cancel all, except the institution" Suppressing the headache already coming in from loads of work.
He paused, then nodded.
"Understood…..this is the file you asked for”
Without replying him I skimmed through it.
One photograph.
A girl
Wavy hair
Freckles
Same annoying expressive eyes.
My thumb trapped once more against the edge of the folder.
Let's see how long she holds it together this time.
The vehicle slowed.
The school gates appeared ahead.
A faint smile touched my lips.
"Boss, we've arrived"
I nodded.
The chauffeur opened the door.
I told my secretary to stay behind or go to the company and handle things there .
By the time I stepped out several administrators were already waiting.
Nervous, eager, respectful.
The usual combination.
"Mr Vale" they chorused.
The principal extended his hands.
I shook it once calmly and briefly.
The man immediately began speaking of the school achievements , programmes , schedules.
I listened for a while before my attention drifted off.
My gaze occasionally drifted towards the buildings.
The principal continued talking.
"....our final year students are extremely excited about this opportunity".
Of course they were.
Opportunity.
People loved that word.
It made cages sound attractive.
I stared at him not saying anything.
I was the one who initiated this integration for three days.
Of course what they offered in return was irrelevant.
The silence made them uneasy as they avoided my gaze.
"Hmm.."
That was enough.
They breathed a sigh of relief.
We moved towards the hall.
The sound of hundreds of students echoed beyond the doors.
Excitement
Speculation
Curiosity.
But none of it mattered.
Because there was only one reaction I was interested in seeing.
Only one.
"Sir.... We're ready".
I adjusted the sleeve of my suit calmly
"Hmm.."
The doors of the hall opened slightly.
A narrow view.
Rows of students and teachers eagerly waiting.
My eyes swept swiftly across the crowd.
Once.
Twice
And then—
There she was, at the back row.
Trying very hard to be invisible.
She looked exhausted.
My gaze lingered slightly.
Only briefly but enough.
Interesting.
The little mouse remembered.
A staff member cleared his throat.
"Mr Vale?"
I looked away . The corner of my lips shifted slightly.
As I stepped towards the stage the principals’s voice echoed,
"Please welcome our guest instructor"
Hundreds of eyes swept towards where I was standing.
I walked towards the stage unhurried .
The room gradually fell silent.
Waiting.
Watching.
I stopped at the center of the stage.
My gaze moved across the hall again before settling somewhere near the back.
A familiar pair of eyes staring back at me.
I could see it.
Trembling hands.
Panic gaze.
Fear.
Good.
I smirked slightly
I preferred honesty.
Fear was honest.
"Good morning".
I said unhurriedly while holding her gaze.
The hall became even quieter.
"My name..."
—
"My name is Lucian Vale".
- Writer
